Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-11-01
LEAVES OF GOVERNMENT CLERKS,
Shall Sundays AND Holidays be ln-
cludedl
THE ACTION BY THE SECRETARY or War ON A FINE
POINT SUBMITTED 10 HIN FOR CONSIDERATION NOT
SATISFACTORY 10 GOVERNMENT xxPloYrS

THE ACTION BY THE SECRETARY or wAR ON A FINE
POINT SUBMITTED 10 HIN FOR CONSIDERATION NOT
SATISFACTORY 70 GOVERNMENT ExrloYrA
question OF interest to all Government EN-
ployes In connec ion with the annual leave OF
absence has just been decided by the Secretary OF
War; civilian empioye OF the signal ONCE re-
Gently sent q communication TO the Secretary
complaining that he had been unjustly treated In
having the Fourth Of July and the preceding day,
sunday, charged against him for absence from
duty, requesting that the Two days pay so de-
Quoted be refunded He stated that ION June 2i.
1887 he had been granted sixteen days four and
half hours leave OF absence with pay for 1887,
emitting him to thirteen days two hours to make
up iul thirty days leave with pay for the year.
which It Is Tue custom OF the War Department 70
grant. On the day mentioned above he received
trom the Signal once twelve days leave with pay,
70 expire on the secoud OF july leaving stiil due
Gay ana fraction OF leave: July 2 was sunday
those days could be nave enIered the signal once
Without pass the Office being closed 80 far as his
In the arrival at her destination OF u steamer on
which he was . passenger he was unable to report
N person for duty on t.ie morning OF July s, out
present. he asked TO have his absence on the nfth
appiled against the days leave still due him.
The Chief signal Omcer he'd, however. that his
leave TO Include July 8, 4 and two days OF which
TO De without pay. The empioye, In his letter 10
the Secretary OF War, respectfully submitted that,
In the absence OF any application from him Ior an
''extenSOn," the signal OfIice was not warranted
IN creating one Tor hin; that the Oiflce mad no
rignt to assume his inaolllty TO perform Govcrn-
nent service on Two day when ne would not have
been permitted 70 enter Its rooms he contends
that tae question Of his location thOse Two days
tion paid 10 the otner enpioyes, VINO we've taking
advantage OF public ho.day. 1he statutes gave
him by express words leave on July and 4, aud IL
Was not necessary 70 geL additional ieave. the
SlatultS DrOvlde neadS Of Executive RI
meats shall "requtre OF all clerks and other en-
ptoyes, VI whatever grade and class, IN Their re-
spectlVe Departments n0I less than seven hvufs or
labor each day, except sundays and the days de-
Cared public holidays by law or Executive order;
Provided, thaL tn heads Of the Departments may,
oy speiai order stating ,he reason, rurter extend
or limit tue hours Of service VI any clerk em-
ploye In their Departments, respectively, but IN
case OF an extension IL shall be without additional
nentS, on the part or said clerks or otner em-
pioye in excess of such leaves OF absence AS may
0e GRANTED 6y the heads t.,ereor, winch snall not
eAcced tulrty days In any one year. except IN cases
VI sickness, shall be wttnOut pay"
As The heads or Departments can only require
the pfcSence or employees ON days n0t Sundays or
puOilc nOlldays iJ must f0iiOw, he ciaiined, tnat
absence Iroln the Departments" can only be on
tue same days. In o,ner words. thai the empioye
can De Sald 70 be "aD,ent" only on such days when
he cou,d have been required 70 be "present;" tnaL
Que h Tue converse or tne Otner; tnaI tile Signal
Oidce could not r1gutlully assume that he was
absent" On the ~ AID 4Ih OF July; mat H. only
haa the right to deal with the day on whica ne
Was really absenl-ndmely, the 5lh; and Lnat II
Could oniy deprive him VI pay tua. day, In " hich
case ne wouil still have Que days leave due uiln,
or apply his absence ON that date 70 The days leave
Jnen due htn.
BY direction OF the Secretary of War, however,
the acLiOn OF the Chief Signal Oilicer WAS sus-
Laineu and the enpioye tu1oI med tina. Ia siniAar
Case the Secre, ary 0r War declded tnat ~, snort
absences, in which sunday does not occur, SUNDAY
sn0uid not be coasidcrei anu that, therefore, aes-
uitory absences OF Que day or less should be esl-
mated 0y reckonlns seven hours as tne day; Uut
Ior any. leave durng which sunday occurs the
Sunday should be coun1ed In the .eave. Tue same
rule wall apply to holidays occurring during an
aos, nee, and tnerefor, july and were properly
Charged In this case. Many clerks wno were
aware OF the circumstances OF the case were much
interested, and tney urge the emtl0ye in question
TO sue the Government tor tue Amount cla.lned,
deetning Tue action VI the War Department an in
1uS.lce lrUm which they are all LaUie 70 suffer.